The Cop and the Waitress
by Dakk Tribal
Summary: Kevin and Cindy are separated from the rest of the group and seek refuge in the Apple Inn. What will happen between these two as they travel through the hostile hotel? CindyxKevin fluff, Complete as of 11/15/12
1. Chapter 1

Kevin woke up coughing, nearly hacking his lungs out of his chest to get water out. He shook his head and tried to regain his composure, all the while trying to remember what had happened.

I...there was an explosion...but Cindy-

He remembered the waitress. Blurry images of Cindy tripping near the gas truck. Kevin, being the police officer that he was, went back for her while the others escaped around the front of the truck. Cindy had gone back with Jim to light the leaking gas from the truck but Jim had gone running when the zombies started getting too close. Kevin had to go back and get Cindy. He had fired off three shots to one zombie who was nearly on top of Cindy, who had tripped on her high-heels. However, making a desperate decision, Kevin grabbed Cindy and the two fell into a ravine to avoid the large explosion that merely missed them.

_If we had taken much longer we'd have been barbeque..._ Kevin thought as he stood up. He heard more coughing from right next to him. He saw Cindy leaning over him, hands on his back.

"You alright?"

Kevin nodded, "I am, what about you?"

"Foot hurts a little, but I'll get over it. You almost drowned so I performed CPR."

Kevin looked at her for a second, acknowledging the fact that she had saved his life. "Then we're even, right?"

The blond nodded, helping the cop to his feet. Cindy, though a little shaken from the explosion was all right. Kevin reached for his hip holster and checked his .45, his favorite handgun. He had started with seven rounds and had two extra clips. Twenty-one rounds total. That was before the zombies arrived at J's Bar and started to kill everyone. Now, he was down to four rounds in the gun and an extra magazine. But, he also had a 9mm pistol that he had grabbed off a dead cop outside the bar. That held fifteen rounds and while not quite as powerful as his .45 it was still a gun that could be used.

Now, weapon wise they were decent; they knew that location wise it was a different story. They had escaped the bar and went a couple blocks in a direction that supposedly led to a safe-zone, but then the tanker exploded and separated them from the others. Now, they were in a sewer and unable to know where they going. Kevin started to walk but soon looked at Cindy and handed her the handgun, "Think you can use it?"

Cindy took the gun, noticing how heavy it actually was and never having ever used a gun before carried with a shaky hand. "I will if the road we go on gets worse...

Kevin nodded, "I guess, but if something bad comes along leave it to me, okay?" Taking charge was the one way Kevin knew would make people calm. Cindy was a good woman and Kevin's profession made it clear that he was to remain calm in order to ensure her safety. But how can one stay calm when the walking dead have suddenly popped up and people that you saw die start getting up and walking again? _That thought alone would make anyone go insane._

Cindy nodded, "Always an optimist, huh Officer Ryman?"

"Ms. Lennox, I am a police officer, it's in the job description to serve and protect," Kevin replied cocking his .45 and smiling, "besides, a pretty woman like you makes me feel responsible to protect you."

Cindy was surprised at her little giggle that followed. She knew Kevin a lot, since he came to the bar she worked at almost every week just to talk to her. He had tried flirting a couple times but it always ended miserably for him. Still, he never gave up in trying, and that's what Cindy liked about him. He never gave up. "Well then, Officer, I'll be sure to follow orders then."

Kevin nodded again and the two went on walking door the slimy corridor.

Cindy had initially intended to discard her broken high heels but she didn't really relish in the idea of having to wade though a sewer barefoot. So she sucked it up and walked on her tiptoes the whole way through the sludge, occasionally using Kevin as support, which he didn't seem to mind.

Coming to a step down, as in waist deep drop, and Kevin went down first before he offered his hands to Cindy. She took them with no hesitation. They continued onward until they reached a ladder that led up into the street. Kevin offered to go first to make sure it was safe, and Cindy followed behind. The street above was quiet, and while there was cars crashed everywhere, there were no signs of any zombies.

Cindy climbed up after Kevin and quickly tossed her broken heels to the side. The bare road was warm to the soles of her feet as she walked slowly. The first thing she noticed, besides how eerily quiet it was, was the gate to the Apple Inn. The glass doors were wide open, as if inviting the two survivors in. And to the unnerved waitress, it looked like a sanctuary waiting to receive her. Kevin also found the Inn more than a little appealing, but he wondered if there was anyone left alive outside first.

Cindy, however, had made up her mind, "I think it'd be safer to get inside."

This time Kevin shook his head in surprise disagreement, "First we need to find out if there is anyone out here that can help us-" He lost his train of thought as a low moan was heard from beyond the car down the alley to his right. Then, like a domino effect, another groan was heard nearby. Followed by another, and another, and another...

Cindy's scream made the cop turn right around and point his loaded gun at the zombie. He fired off a shot into the upper torso of the male zombie that staggered the foe but didn't make it go down. He then fired another shot that hit it right between the eyes. It fell with a wet thud as a gush of blood came from the gaping hole. Cindy had fallen backwards and landed on her bum. Kevin grabbed her by the arm as more and more zombies came from seemingly every nook and cranny that could hide them and started to converge on the two humans.

Seeing no other alternative, Kevin led Cindy into the Inn and getting into the lobby. Cindy saw only one route to salvation: the fire escape ladder that was in the middle of the room.

"I'll cover you, get up the ladder!"

Cindy started to climb as calmly as she could to avoid slipping as she heard Kevin shoot off two rounds.

The shells flew from the chamber of the gun and hit the metal ladder with a clink, and Kevin's gun went dry. With the zombies slowly getting closer and no time to reload, Kevin mentally said screw it and climbed up the ladder as well.

He found Cindy in the security office room, waiting for him and she gave a great sigh of relief when he entered. "Close call."

"But, now we're stuck in this hotel, and our only way out is covered in those things," Cindy replied, seeming somewhat down.

Kevin however, thought in another perspective. There were rooms they could hide in, food had to be around and unless the plumbing wasn't working the bathrooms were usable. Even with these things he couldn't help but pout about one sore detail he couldn't overlook. _The only thing missing is an infinite amount of weapons and ammunition and we got it made._ "Well, may as well check to find a room to rest in, huh?"

Cindy nodded, the thought of resting, especially after what had happened in the last couple hours threatened to overwhelm her even as she tried to smile it off, sounded like a good idea.


	2. Chapter 2

The two went on, and noticed that besides the moans from the undead on the outside, there didn't seem to be any activity in the hotel except for their footsteps on the carpet. Cindy found it rather nice but at the same time creepy. Kevin took the moment to reload his gun, and he was on the last clip, which was seven rounds. He knew that despite having ammo for the .45, once he ran out he'd have a problem. He knew he had to look for another weapon.

But Cindy was his first priority. _I have to make sure Cindy gets somewhere safe first, and then I'll go scrounge for another weapon._

They came across a hall outside the office, and Kevin went on ahead, finding three doors. Two were locked, but the third one wasn't. Cindy came up and went on in before Kevin could open the door himself. She seemed to be in a hurry.

The room was a single bedroom with the door tot he bathroom wide open. Despite the chaos outside, the room looked as tranquil and peaceful as ever. "Nice room."

Cindy seemed to notice and immediately went and sat on the bed, "Cozy..."

Kevin had his hand on the door handle, "I'm gonna go and search the rest of the floor, wait here for me."

"Don't take too long, alright?"

"I promise, Cindy." And Kevin quietly shut the door behind him as he left.

The second that Kevin had left, Cindy laid down on the bed, curling up into a ball like a frightened child. In what seemed like days, things had happened to her in mere hours. The zombies devouring her friend Will, who came back from the dead as a zombie moments later. The suicide of the security guard Bob as his friend Mark screamed his name. Finally the sacrifice of the cop Kevin knew as Raymond in the alley. The explosion that rocked her world even more so made it feel like the end of the world was upon her. Cindy would have started crying well before that had Kevin not pushed her on. He had saved her in the bar from Will, putting a bullet in his head to save her. Then he nearly got himself killed rescuing her from the tanker explosion. She had returned the favor though, saving him from drowning by CPR in the sewers. Kevin and her were good friends but it still felt more than that at times. It was no secret he flirted with her on a regular basis at the bar, but could it have been more than that at one time or another?

_Still, Kevin was a professional policeman, he put his job and saving others before himself, so it shouldn't surprise me that he'd rescue me all those times..._ Cindy thought as she sat up. Feeling itchy in her uniform, she then decided to get her mind off things by cleaning herself up. Common sense told her not to when monsters were all over the place, but she knew that those things couldn't open doors and Kevin would more than likely knock before he entered so she didn't feel too nervous. She went into the bathroom and found a bathtub and a sink crammed into the small space. The tub was off to the left of the door while the sink was straight across from the door. She shut the door behind her and took a deep breath. "Besides, I won't be too long. I'll be sure to be done before he even gets back."

Kevin had checked the room next to Cindy's and found nothing, save for an iron pipe and a dead body. The body had been that of a female reporter, but the name-tag had been covered in the innards that had been ripped and devoured right out of her. The cop took the pipe and though it wasn't a gun, it was better than nothing at the moment. _I can at least bash in a lone zombie should I run into one._

The next room held nothing but a small hole in the wall that led to the next room. Deciding against the scenic route, the officer decided to crawl through the hole. The room was pretty black due to the lights off, or maybe they were out, but he heard nothing as he crawled back to the other room.

The next two rooms gave similar results, and he decided to take a quick look up the stairs before heading back to check up on Cindy. _No harm in making sure, right?_


	3. Chapter 3

The waitress had literally done a quick strip and jumped into the shower. Cindy was happy to see that there was shampoo and soap on the shelf next to the stall, and took no more than fifteen minutes in the shower. She held back the urge to relax in the hot water but insisted that she had to be ready for when Kevin came back.

"At least I got the sewage off my skin," Cindy thought pulling the shower curtain aside and stepping out. While Cindy had found the shampoo she had failed to find enough towels to suit her needs. She had only found one towel for herself, so she couldn't put one on the ground to dry the bottom of her feet. But she could make due, otherwise.

Cindy got her underwear on, and then began to dry herself as she looked in the mirror before stopping to put her hair back into a ponytail. Her gaze traveled to the 9mm handgun Kevin had given her before he had left. Even though she had only been involved in this incident for only a few hours Cindy felt like she had been in it for weeks. Her skin was sort of pale from all that had happened so far, and there were a few times that she felt she'd lose the strength in her legs. Leaning on the sink, Cindy took a few deep breaths and sucked in the hot air that had come from the shower she had taken, and put her arms on her naked chest, just below her breasts. Before today she had been a normal woman working a normal job, and now she was in the fight of her life against zombies and other things that she couldn't explain. Before today she had never felt more vulnerable and insecure than she had ever been before.

The girl shook her head, "Now's not the time to cry..." She tried to tell herself all sort of positive things in order to keep herself positive. Things along the lines that everything was going to be okay, that this will all blow over and that she would return to normal. However, she knew full well that there was no going back. The city was in trouble, big trouble that it could not save itself from. Still, she held out on a small glimmer of hope that she would survive this ordeal.

The sound of a footstep on the carpet snapped Cindy back to reality, and to another fact of reality. Cindy looked into the mirror and saw someone in the reflection.

Kevin had entered the room and after a few seconds of blankly starring, he noticed Cindy standing there, naked save for her underwear and arms over her chest as she turned around with wide-eyes and a distant look and wet skin.

Kevin had to gawk for a few seconds since his feet didn't want to move and neither did his eyes. No lie, he had always wanted to date Cindy and all that, and he even used his imagination for this kind of thing, but he had to admit his imagination could never come close to seeing the real thing before him.

"AHHH!"

Kevin's mind returned to reality and he quickly turned right around just as he felt a bottle of some sort hit him in the back of the head and he stumbled back a couple feet. Cindy slammed the door shut and Kevin was left to scratch the back of his head at over what he had just seen. But he quickly replied, "Sorry! It was an accident! I didn't know you'd leave the door wide open!"

He heard Cindy reply from beyond the door, "Don't lie, I closed the door! I'm sure of it!"

_Must've opened on its own...damn cheap hotel doors,_ Kevin thought to himself as he got back on his feet.


	4. Chapter 4

After Cindy had gotten dressed and got out of the bathroom, she didn't speak a word to Kevin, except for saying a small 'hello'. In Kevin's defense, after she had gotten over his supposed peeping on her she came to realize that the door might have indeed swung open on its own. Added to the fact that all he had seen was her bare back, her temper towards him was non-existent, though she had the trouble of getting over it in her circumstances.

_Besides, a man you happen to think of as a friend seeing you half-naked is nothing to get angry about, considering that zombies want to have you for dinner,_ the waitress thought as she sat at the desk of the small hotel room, the light still brightly lit. Kevin had left the room, for reasons Cindy didn't know why, but if it was because of what had happened she didn't blame him a bit.

What Kevin was doing was having a cigarette down the hall. He had to get his mind off Cindy for the moment. He had scrambled out of the room just as she had gotten out of the bathroom, and in order to avoid what he thought would be an argument he retreated to a dead end near their room.

But not even nicotine could make him forget the fact that he had seen his friend the way he had. No way he'd be able to get that out of his mind anytime soon. _Unless a zombie comes out of nowhere, you'll be seeing Cindy's ass for a while._ Kevin had gotten a good look, and he was half ashamed of it due to the situation the two were in. He was the responsible one, the police officer, and the one who had to protect the civvies, which included the waitress named Cindy Lennox. Fraternizing could wait until a more peaceful environment could be found.

At least that was his highest hope.

Cindy was still sitting in the chair when Kevin returned. He waved his hand in a passive hello before closing the door quietly. Cindy's guess was that he was trying to avoid making too much noise that could attract zombies, though that was not the case a few minutes ago when there was a ton of screaming on a misunderstanding.

Cindy was eyeing the 9mm pistol on the desk, lightly tapping the metal handle with her finger, like she was contemplating something about it. Kevin personally hoped that Cindy would never have to use that gun, but in all likelihood she would before they'd get out of the city. If they got out that is.

"So, we are going to be leaving here soon?" Cindy asked in a whisper, and she turned to see Kevin lounging on the bed, arms behind his head. He seemed to be relaxing.

Kevin looked over at her, "Once I figure out the best route of here. If I recall, there is a back door that leads into the alley, an alley that was connected to the back of J's Bar. That would be our best bet, though I'm sure we won't be the only ones thinking of using that route. Human or other wise…"

Cindy got up and stood next to the bed, "After all that's happened so far, I wonder who else is still alive."

Kevin sat up, leaning on his elbows, feeling the conversation going into serious territory now. "You have any family here?"

Cindy shook her head, "Parents live in Maryland, what about you?"

"After I graduated from the police academy I moved here by myself."

"You're a single cop? That I didn't know about you," Cindy whispered as she sat down on the edge of the bed, her hands in her lap.

"I can change that if you're interested," Kevin replied with a smile.

Cindy giggled a little, "Nice try."

Kevin gave a light chuckle, "I failed again, huh."

Nonetheless, Kevin's little attempt at flirting was successful at making Cindy smile a little. "We're going to rest here right?"

Kevin nodded once, "just for awhile, I'm thinking with those things out there it's not too good to stay in one spot for very long. Well rest here for a few hours before we move on."

Cindy laid down on the bed, on her back, "You going to stay up and keep watch?"

"Yeah, you sleep. I'll wake you once I think its good to go," Kevin said laying back down, laying his head on some of the pillow there.

Cindy closed her eyes and moved to her side, her front to the cop, "Alright…"

With his gun in his hands, Kevin felt secure enough to close his eyes for a few seconds. He didn't even notice how quickly he had fallen asleep.

A few hours went by before they heard it. A scream not too far where Kevin and Cindy were sleeping, more than likely from outside. Cindy didn't know if it came from outside, but it unnerved her considerably to the point that she curled up a little bit. She found herself unconsciously moving towards Kevin, as the scream got louder for a few seconds. Trying her damnedest in holding back the urge to cry, Cindy felt Kevin's right arm go around her shoulders, pulling her closer to him.

A comforting gesture that Cindy greatly appreciated as the screams died down and not too long after that she fell back asleep.

Kevin, however, did not fall asleep again. He felt that since that scream had happened nearby, it wasn't safe to stay in the hotel much longer.

He'd let Cindy sleep a bit longer, and then it would be time to leave. To try to escape.


End file.
